David Lewis

Deferred Deterrence Costs Compounded A too weak naval shipbuilding sector reliant on a too thin supplier base and very limited choices for builder has its costs. View this story thru that lens… Deferred building of submarines over a decade ago, over work of a too small fleet has got the submarine fleet in a situation it needs boats faster than can be built. On the nuclear deterrence front, the next ballistic missile submarines were on a razors edge for delivery before capacity to deter dropped. That future now seems inevitable as China rapidly builds up its nuke arsenal tripling its ICBM inventory and progressing its own growing ballistic missile submarine program. Smart money would have been paid over 10years ago to grow the Navy a more modest but sustained rate… https://lnkd.in/ecY4jj9V

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Democracy - what Democracy? “The tyranny of the majority.” John Adams. Thomas Jefferson purportedly claimed that democracy can often resemble mob rule, and in the case of America’s current political sphere, this saying has a ring of truth. According to a 2022 Pew survey, only 32% of American adults felt that the two primary political parties adequately align with their views. That means that an overwhelming majority of Americans (200 million) are not happy with the current government and election process. To become truly democratic, the US political system must reform. As Robin Williams said: ''Politicians should wear jackets like Nascar drivers, then we would know who owns them.'' A profound statement and reality. The US public is finally waking up to the realities of its corrupted government. To make matters worse, the champions of these polarizing elections are then indebted to the rich who funded their campaigns, rather than to the constituents they were elected to represent. From the outset, the two-party system was condemned at the highest level. “The alternate domination of one faction over another…is itself a frightful despotism,” warned the first U.S. president - George Washington. In recent decades, tensions and violence have risen across the country. Both parties continue to adopt harmful and legal tactics, in an attempt to cut the other down and gain supremacy. The American public suffers as a result. With the 2024 Presidential Elections around the corner, in excess of $2billion has been spent on campaigning. That money will ultimately be at the cost of the Trickle Down Economy via Tax Deductible Donations, aka, heavily disguised lobbying/gambling. Make no mistake, the U.S. Presidential Elections have been tampered with and abused for many years - not always by external regimes and adversaries - but those much closer to home. There's too much riding on it and its got nothing to do with Democracy but Control, Power, and Greed. Cybersec Innovation Partners To read this excellent article by Fair Observer : https://lnkd.in/ehiRP4YK

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"Army Doctrine on Movers 2,500 Years Outdated" US Army TRADOC range doctrine on leading oblique moving targets is that a 45 degree oblique target requires "half the lead of a crossing target." See spec on the U.S. Army PEO STRI's new marksmanship simulator for Synthetic Training Environment CFT. Pythagoras knew better 2,500 years ago. The lead on an oblique target is the sine of the angle, which is trigonometry, which was Hipparchus, 2,150 years ago. The angular lead on a 45 degree mover is 71% of the lead on a crossing target. Which is evidently "news" to the U.S. Army Infantry School The Marines - PM TRASYS, Office of Naval Research, Weapons and Field Training Battalion - may get lead on movers right in 2024. From any angle 😎

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#MiddleEastTensions | It has long been an assumption that the Israel Defense Forces could not pull off an attack like they did yesterday without USAF aerial refuelers. If it did, those Israeli pilots would be on a one-way suicide mission. The Israeli Air Force apparently used over 100 F-35Is in this attack, and at least some of those planes had to fly 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles). The IDF is claiming all aircraft returned from their missions intact. The United States Department of Defense has denied any involvement in the attack. #Israel has proved it can attack #Iran at will independently, and that will change the calculations of capitals across the region. SOURCE(S): The War Zone

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⚠️ Whoever wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election will face a chaotic geopolitical landscape. Over the past two decades, we've seen the consequences of misguided military adventurism that has eroded public trust and the American appetite for democracy promotion tied to military intervention. Yet today, some policymakers are pushing for a new global struggle between democracy and autocracy. The problem? There’s a growing dissonance between what the American public believes and what some of these policymakers are attempting to achieve. Launching a new ideological struggle against ill-defined threats will limit Washington's strategic options in the long run. 🎥 Check out the below clip for my full take 🔽 👉 Do you think we need a foreign policy reset? Share your thoughts below! 🔄 If this message resonates, share it with your network. #innovation #futurism #socialmedia

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Last week we attended Thunderstorm 24-3 at the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex at Texas A&M University, with a focus on scouting solutions that can be used by multiple #DoD compenents & other #CriticalIndustry sectors. #MDO #ProjectConvergence We are excited to host U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory team members at our event on Oct 23, 2024 on the University of Louisiana Monroe campus; we look forward to seeing you at this FREE #EntrepreneurSupport event! More about Thunderstorm: The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering hosts Thunderstorm events, which are technology showcases that provide opportunities for developers to present their solutions in realistic environments hosted in conjunction with Army Applications Laboratory and U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory. These events are organized by the Innovation & Modernization (I&M) office within OUSD(R&E). Thunderstorm events aim to help the United States Department of Defense (DoD) identify new approaches to operational challenges and communicate with technology developers to influence prototype development. To this end, Thunderstorm targets non-traditional sources (e.g., startups and small businesses), interagency partnerships, and rapid prototyping methodologies to accelerate low and mid-TRL solutions aligned with OUSD(R&E) Critical Technology Areas from the developer to the end-user. #MavenScouts #MavenWERX #NationalSecurity #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership

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Challenges facing security cooperation efforts include differing national interests, resource constraints, political instability, and technological disparities. Effective collaboration and mutual understanding are essential for overcoming these obstacles.

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In Texas, it’s about TIME! and pursue an assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing, or PNT, ecosystem to protect our networks and critical infrastructure operations from the effects of a GPS disruption. SHSU Institute for Homeland Security Program Executive Robert Crane and Director Walt Magnussen of the Texas A&M Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center (ITEC) jointly presented on GPS Interference Impact to Public Safety at the Defense Coordinating Element Region VI’s Homeland Defense and Critical Infrastructure workshop in Fort Worth. Hosted by Army North, Defense Coordinating Element RGN VI, over 100 military, state, federal and private sector leaders discussed challenges and best practices for the defense of the Homeland. Thanks to Colonel Richard Ball and the entire defense coordinating staff for hosting the workshop and building consensus where possible. Building upon identified challenges and risks, TAMU and SHSU are teaming to lay a collaborative pathway for Texas to pursue assured, precise timing capabilities that will enhance critical infrastructure and networks’ resilience to GPS disruptions. The national Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) ecosystem heavily relies on GPS as the primary source of PNT services. GPS has been referred as “a significant single point of failure in our country” by a NSC official. Let’s keep the conversations going and step up actions here in Texas. Do you know your GPS dependencies? For more information: https://lnkd.in/dGCsvhp https://lnkd.in/gbrajXMp #shsuIHS #HomelandDefense #CriticalInfrastructure #GPSDisruption #NationalSecurity #GPSDependencies #NetworkResilience #TexasTech

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Good article by Ryan Martinson in the May 2024 issue of USNI PROCEEDINGS on the increasing importance the Chinese navy is placing on wargaming to prepare for war against US and allied nations. The article also indicates that the PLAN struggles with "mirror imaging" the PLA perspective, C2 and operational methods on the western alliance teams. How can the US and its allies avoid making our wargames engage in similar "mirror imaging", potentially resulting in erroneous results? (https://lnkd.in/ghepiwHd)

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During a three-week effort, Future Vertical Cross Functional Team (FVLCFT) partnered with U.S. Army DEVCOM C5ISR Center, U.S. Army DEVCOM Aviation & Missile Center and the U.S. Army Redstone Test Center (RTC) at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida to advance Launched Effects (LE) behaviors and characteristics for the #warfighter. FVL completed Phase 3 of the advanced networking waveform characterization during the experimentation. The team collected data on multiple radios and waveforms during multi-ship flights at extended operational ranges against both contested and uncontested environments. Data gathered will be used to inform future aviation modernization; and to validate, modeling and simulation efforts. The intent was to learn about the trade space of long-range air to air; and air to ground communications. The emphasis is increased range and endurance for future LEs combined with a low probability of detection, and a low probability of jamming from perceived threats. LE surrogates successfully demonstrated teaming behaviors, characteristics, and attributes against both contested and uncontested conditions as they negotiated the test area. The Eglin experimentation is a key component of the #FVLCFT efforts to help the US Army “transform in contact,” accelerating the delivery of technology, and capabilities into the hands of our warfighters. #DeliverArmy2030 #TransformInContact Army Futures Command I PEO Aviation I U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence I U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command

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https://lnkd.in/g99cHxUg NEWS FLASH: Passing the Buck is Not an Option The FBI can’t fix the problem of active shooters by itself. These tragic situations often have roots in deep, long-standing issues—mental health problems, family struggles, and things that happen in schools, churches, and even businesses. While the FBI has the power to investigate threats, arrest suspects, and sometimes put them in jail, they don’t have all the tools needed to handle the full scope of these complex situations. But the FBI can do more. With 38,000 employees, offices in almost every major city and even some foreign countries, and partnerships with law enforcement worldwide, it is well-equipped to tackle this issue from a law enforcement perspective. It also has access to some of the best scientific and psychological tools available. To make real progress, though, FBI leadership must rebuild public trust and confidence. That way, people will feel safe coming forward with concerns early on. If the FBI focuses on early detection and prevention, and the public cooperates by reporting suspicious, red-flag activities or behaviors, it can make a bigger difference in ensuring public safety. The key is spotting potential shooters before they act. Early action can save lives, whether through arrest or required rehabilitation. The urgency of this issue is clear, and the solution isn’t about passing the responsibility onto someone else. It’s about the FBI stepping up and taking the lead where they can and others doing likewise. It's crucial to remember that passing the buck is not an option. We all have a role to play in addressing the issue of active shooters, and it's about time we all step up and take responsibility. #activeshooters #rehabilitation #arrest #FBI

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A few takeaways from this piece on the "alarm[ing]" failures in American naval shipbuilding... -- To address persistent cost overruns, with one of its new frigates, the Navy chose a ship design already in use by navies in France and Italy instead of starting from scratch. The idea was that 15% of the vessel would be updated to meet U.S. Navy specifications, while 85% would remain unchanged, reducing costs and speeding construction. Instead, the Navy redesigned 85% of the ship. -- The Constellation class ship is now 3 years behind schedule for delivery and the design is still not complete. -- And massive workforce / retention problems as the Navy seeks to ramp up production generally (workforce issues go hand in hand with the decades-long erosion of the defense industrial base). https://lnkd.in/e3zThw2d

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https://lnkd.in/gsiDmvWA The Pentagon is seeking short-term "fixes" for an old problem that has reached the point of crisis: the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard's warship and support vessel shortage — their "hull deficit" in military jargon. Congress wants to revive U.S. shipbuilding. In 2017, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) tried to kick-start naval and commercial shipbuilding. He authored legislation to expand American maritime industrial capacity. Wicker tried again in 2023. In December 2023, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro told Congress America must once again become a "global leader in shipbuilding" if it wants to remain a naval power. The hull deficit, however, will take years to fix. Building large warships takes a long time. So, four shorter-term options: 1. Several defense publications have suggested the U.S. operate common repair facilities with allies like Japan and South Korea. "Collaborative" ventures save money. Presumably, Japanese and Korean workers would perform the work in their home shipyards. "Forward repair" would keep more hulls in forward areas but also expose ships to quick attacks from China. 2. Buy warships from allies. By law, Navy ships must be built in America. Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri builds the Navy's Constellation-class frigate in its U.S. shipyard. Until U.S. domestic capacity expands, some Constellations could be built in Europe. 3. In 2023, the Center for Strategic and International Studies recommended a "... shift to smaller, more survivable ships." I've advocated that for years. To counter China, deploy small, fast, hard-to-target warships armed with missiles. Have them control drones. Modern weapons give small warships the firepower of a World War II cruiser. In 2022, I wrote a column about a boat Forbes mentioned in 2020: the H96, designed by Texas-based technologist George Hamilton. H96-type longer-range vessels can be built quickly in small shipyards. 4. This is a longer-term fix: collaborative ship-building projects like the Australia-United Kingdom-US (AUKUS) nuclear attack submarine consortium. Add Canada. Canada wants 12 new submarines — but the public talk is no nuclear power. Given the Arctic Ocean's ice, Canada should have procured nuclear subs during the Cold War."

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The internal threat becomes worse; employees are turning against their companies and organizations for various reasons: revenge, ideology, extortion, ego, or they are just being manipulated. The impacts and damages can be very high! Would you happen to have a solution for that? Do you mitigate this threat? For advice and solutions, you are welcome to contact me.

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Since I'm a #Government #Compliance dork with Ordnance & Energetics Consulting LLC, I'm always interested in how other country's implement their #GunControl. Many 'Muricans are surprised that in #Germany, the land where fun is generally verboten, you can own an AR-15. But the specifics & features of what you can own are dependent upon what type of license you have. There's 2 general types of #Firearms licenses here: #Hunting & #Sport #Shooting. Getting a hunting license here isn't a matter of going to Walmart, forking over a handful of #Euros & being on your way like it is in #Texas. You have to do a bunch of #Training & pass tests. But once you've done that, you can own pretty much anything that's not prohibited, though you can only own a limited number of pistols. The AR-15 circled in green, is a hunting rifle. If you're a sport shooter, you have to join a shooting club & shoot regularly. Any #Weapons you want to have, have to be suitable for the type of shooting. If Olympic bullseye shooting is your cup of tea, you're not getting an AR-15. Yet if you can justify a pistol based on the discipline you're shooting, you can own as many as you can get permission for. But if you shoot a sport that requires an AR, it generally can't have certain features such as a flash-suppressor or holes in the handguard. But a manufacturer can get an exception from Bundeskriminalamt for certain things. That's why the weapon circled in red has a flash-suppressor, but no holes in the handguard. In general, here it's harder to get authorization to possess a firearm. But once you get authorization, there's minimal restrictions on barrel-length or similar like with NFA weapons controlled by ATF. You can slap a stock on a GLOCK GmbH pistol you had to jump through hoops to get, without any issues. But you have to continue to have a justification for possessing the weapons. While in the US, it's easy to get firearms. As long as they aren't NFA, there's really no controls. But if you want to slap a stock on the Glock you walked into a store & bought the same day, then you have to jump through the #ATF's hoops.

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Spaceport needs increase- In the House Armed Services Committee's draft fiscal 2025 defense policy bill, concerns were raised about the increased launch demands on the two main spaceports - Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida (Space Florida) and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. United States Space Force is exploring options to increase the number of launches its existing ranges can support through an initiative called Spaceport of the Future. The bill lists potential alternative sites (and GSA members), including Virginia Spaceport Authority's Wallops Island in Virginia, Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska, and the only U.S. inland vertical launch facility - Spaceport America in New Mexico. 👉 Read the article at https://lnkd.in/eYRSJUiC Image- © Provided by Defense News

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